​Most people begin their relationship with Orisha worship by going to a diviner when they have a problem. The diviner consults and marks ebbo, which they do. Time passes, they return eventually to the diviner for more advice and help. A relationship builds over time. A few years may pass. The consultant at some point is told that they should receive elekes or warriors or cofá de Orula or an adimu orisha to resolve a problem. At the point where you receive something from someone in a religious ceremony, you have a godparent. It can be the diviner or, more likely, someone you have met at the diviner's house, or through the diviner, as you have established a relationship with that religious community by then, and people know you. During this time, you will have been invited to attend drumming ceremonies, ocha birthday parties, etc. and perhaps invited to visit people, so you have had a chance to get to know people (if you didn't know them before). In some houses, if you have a long term relationship with a diviner and someone who offers you spiritual guidance or advice, you can call that person godfather or godmother, even if you haven't received anything from them. It can be a title of respect to indicate you have a spiritual relationship to the person.

Timing is Everything

​In Lucumi tradition, a person doesn't start to learn a lot about the religion until after they are fully initiated. Certainly, anything like an in-depth discussison of Odu, the knowledge of how to divine, in depth knowledge of the spiritual preparation of herbs, remedies, baths, potions, etc., how ceremonies are done, these are the "secrets" that can't be shared.. In other words, anything that requires you to have "licencia " (authority) as a fully initiated priest are not openly discussed with aleyos. You aren't allowed to work ceremonies, be inside the orisha room, sit at the table during ceremonial meals with initiated priests, etc. There are hierarchies that have to be respected, and there are "insiders" and "outsiders" because that's the nature of a religion that works via initiation.

General knowledge of who the orishas are, what their characteristics are, patakis about them, a general understanding of how the universe was created, the role of Olodumare, the role of the Orishas, concepts related to life and death, our relationship to nature, songs and prayers, recognition of the different rhythms for the orishas and basic understanding of how to dance for them, a general understanding of how the religion works in terms of divination, ebbo, initiation, etc. - these are bits of knowledge that aleyos pick up and learn over time by spending time at the godparent's house, talking to the godparent and other elders, attending religious gatherings where there is a chance to talk to people, perhaps reading recommended material provided by the godparent. There is the understanding that not everyone needs to be initiated, and if you don't need to be initiated, then you don't need to know what a priest knows. You don't have open access to all the information because that's not how the religion works.

You Must Learn to Respect Authority

Allow your godparent to set the rhythm for nurturing you

​The learning process works like this: as an aleyo, you visit your godparent when it is convenient for the godparent, and you spend the day in the godparent's house while he/she is working and going about his business, you help with anything that requires your help, you interact, you talk about religious things but also daily life, you sit patiently while the godparent attends to other people, you never demand time or attention, because you know that when the godparent has time to sit and talk to you one on one it is a gift. You can ask questions when the godparent has time to answer, but if the godparent chooses not to answer, you accept that and don't press it. The godparent sets the pace and decides what to teach you, when, and why. You aren't "entitled" to anything, except decent, respectful treatment, and a general concern with your spiritual well-being. How much the godparent decides to teach you and when, it will depend on the godparent.

In a busy ile, there will be other oloshas (and perhaps babalawos) who come and go, who spend time there, and you can also interact with them, but never forgetting that your godparent is the final authority. If there are differences of opinion, your godfather's opinion is the one you listen to. Other olorishas will not try to steal way godchildren or undermine the relationship between godchild and godparent. They can be a support system, but not take the place of the godparent. The only authority over the godparent in matters of ceremony and protocol could possibly be the obba-oriaté who instructs you about something in an area where your godparent's knowledge is limited. If the godparent doesn't know something, he/she won't pretend they do. They will call or visit someone who does know, and find out the answer.

It Takes Time to Gain Experience and Knowledge

Your head needs time to adapt to changes

Much of our learning comes from overhearing conversations, observing, taking it all in, and thinking about what we've seen and heard. Traditionally, the aleyo is quiet. The aleyo is not supposed to ask a million questions and bother everyone. One or two discreet questions when possible, yes. Demanding or expecting to be the center of attention and have elders anwer all your questions, no. If you make a pest of yourself, the elders will scold you, or ignore you, or avoid you.

Some godparents will offer more formal "classes" or share written materials or give godchildren access to private libraries, depending on the teaching style of the godparent and the attitude of the godparent about these things. But this is a more modern approach, and not the norm. Most traditional godparents still teach in an informal, oral conversational style.

Once you are initiated and undergo the year long iyaworaje period, then do the required ceremonies to be able to work in the orisha room, you can start attending ceremonies and helping. This is where you get hands on experience and learn how things are done. You are working with a community of experienced people, and they show you how to do things. If you have an interest and the aché to divine, you learn how to divine, including an indepth understanding of Odu. After you are fully initiated, you can deepen your knowledge and understanding of the religion.

We believe that being initiated (being crowned) changes your head, it creates a new you, a new way of understanding and grasping knowledge, as an "insider." Things will start to make sense to you in a way that they never would before once you have gone through the ceremony yourself. Sharing knowledge with people before they are ready to know it is a waste of time. Knowing intellectually, having the facts, is one thing, but the more profound level of knowing comes from a deep internalization of the knowledge that is only possible by being deeply immersed in the religion. We have many proverbs about knowledge, and the sharing of knowledge. My favorite (and one that was repeated to me numerous times when I was "young" in the religion) is "the surest way to know nothing is to try to learn everything all at once." We also have a proverb that says "a wise man(or woman) doesn't share all he/she knows." These proverbs inform our way of thinking, and so when an elder is reluctant to share information, it's not a personal rejection of you and your question. It just means that it's inappropriate to ask.​

Don't Force Your Worldview on Our Tradition

Know the difference between opinion and fact

​Another issue I want to address is people who have some other spiritual path, be it wicca, espiritismo, palo, hoo doo, etc. - this doesn't give you a fast track into Lucumi practices. You may have knowledge from another tradition that you try to fit into the Lucumi worldview. It may or may not fit. Your personal spiritual beliefs may or may not fit into our way of doing things. If you want to be a part of Regla de Ocha, you have to learn our way of doing things, which may require you to re-think your previous beliefs. Regla de Ocha is open and inclusive and allows people to practice different belief systems at the same time, but always with the understanding that they are different systems, not to be mashed together into something personal and individualistic.

Finally, don't attempt to answer a question if you don't have the knowledge to answer it. If you are asking a question like what's your favorite color, everyone gets an opinion. But if you are talking about the religion, you either know or don't know the information, there is a foundation to the information, you either have it or you don't. Spreading false or mistaken ideas causes a lot of damage and confuses people.

Yes, I know the world has changed, but we stand on the shoulders of those who went before us, and we do things the way we were taught. Change requires very careful reflection, divination, and is a community-based process, not one that happens overnight because of new technology.

​One of the most challenging things for newcomers to the religion to accept is that there are rules about how things must be done, but the rules seem to vary from place to place and even from person to person, depending on who you ask. What are these rules about the religion? Where do they come from? Can they ever be changed? What happens if I don't agree with the rules? These are some of the questions that come up all the time when people start asking about the religion, so let's take a look at them here.

Choose your tradition and community

Where do you belong?

First, we have to remember that Orisha worship takes different forms in different communities, each one tied originally to a geographic location. Although all Orisha-based religions originated in West Africa, they spread through the Atlantic slave trade and migration to the Americas over several centuries, and they took root in new homes, sometimes experiencing organic changes due to new circumstances. In Cuba, the religion became known as Lukumí or Regla de Ocha (also called Santería). In Brazil, it became known as Candomblé. In Western Africa, its home, it varied from one region to another and changed over time because religions are living things that correspond to human conditions. Political and social change on a grand scale, such as the uprooting and displacement of large groups of people, civil wars, the usurpation of political control by one group over another -- these are factors that bring about changes in customs and traditions. But, one of the remarkable aspects of all our traditions is that our ancestors managed to keep the essence of the religion true to the teachings of their ancestors, thus ensuring continuity within times of chaos and social change. Negotiating what needed to change, why, and how to incorporate that change into the cosmology of the religion without changing its essential nature was complicated work, done by the community of priests, elders, and with the help of divination, to tweak an existing system of belief to correspond to changes forced on people by external circumstances. An example is the substitution of coconut pieces to replace Obi kola in divination. In colonial Cuba, kola nuts weren't available, and coconut was the closest thing they could find. Our religion is practical, and adapts when it must to new situations. But, these changes are never arbitrary or at the whim of one person. The rules for divination remained the same, but the tool changed because there was no other choice. Changes must be condoned, sanctioned and accepted by a whole community because, no matter how strong one individual may be, no single person has all the knowledge, and no one person can rule the whole religion.

We each have our own identity but we're connected, too

​The first step for understanding how the religion works and what the rules are is to identify which tradition you're going to follow. If you're going to belong to a Lukumí community, or a traditional West African community, or a Brazilian community, be clear about the choice you've made and stick to that while you're in your learning mode. Trying to learn about them all at the same time, especially if you're new to the religion, leads to confusion and frustration. The choice you make might be based on personal preference or cultural identity, but it's likely that for many people the choice depends on who is your godparent. Many people find their way into the religion through personal contacts. If you find a Lukumí godparent who seems to be a good match for you, and you establish a respectful bond with that person, your godparent will be the one to explain to you how the religion works, as you go along. Naturally, the explanation will reflect the Lukumí system of belief, and will be based on what people have learned from their own godparents, and from knowledge of that particular branch of the religion. This explains why so many people begin their explanations by saying "In our house..." or "In our lineage..." No one can speak on behalf of the entire religion; knowledge doesn't reside in one place only. Elders will speak about how things must be done from their own experience in the religion, and there's no way to prove that one house or one lineage is more authentic or more correct than another. This is also true when we go across traditions. Despite strong opinions people might have, no tradition can claim to be more real or more authentic or more powerful than another. Every system of belief goes back to ancestors who shared a common heritage and a common knowledge base. There's nothing inherently "better" about one tradition over another. Don't waste your time debating that point. Choose one, and stick with it. Your identity as an Orisha devotee will grow according to the tradition you embrace.

Letting go of old ways of thinking

Don't let your ego get in the way

​Once you start your journey down a particular road, take plenty of time to adjust to a new way of seeing and thinking about the world around you. If you weren't raised in a culture where the cosmovision of Orisha worshippers was part of your upbringing, you need to learn how to think in a new way. Western logic and reasoning doesn't always apply to this new worldview you're developing. If you insist "why?" all the time, and demand answers that make sense to you, using your old way of thinking, you're going to be constantly frustrated and angry that things aren't "making sense" to you. Impatience works against you, because your head needs time to shift into a new paradigm. Ego also works against you, because no matter how smart you are, and no matter how assured you are in your ability to understand everything, you find out quickly that there are lots of things that you don't understand, can't understand, and you become dependent on elders who tell you how things are, reducing you to a position of "student" rather than "colleague." There's a hierarchy in the religion, whether you like it or not. People with many years in the priesthood, who are respected by the community and considered knowledgeable, are not your equals when you're just starting your path in the religion. Whether you like them or not, whether you agree with them or not, it's not your place to argue with them and tell them they're wrong. Taking a defensive position and demanding a debate about an established rule or tradition is going to cut you off immediately from any future teaching and learning opportunity. If you want to learn, you need to be quiet, listen, and reflect on what you're being told. You don't have to blindly accept it. Analysis is always good. But until you have the mental tools (new worldview) to process the information, it's good to be patient and let the information come, trying to remain neutral about it and not form judgments about things you don't understand fully.

There's no sacred text in written form (like a Bible) in our religion. For many centuries, all information was passed from generation to generation in oral form. We consider the information sacred, even though it's not written, and we also believe that it is codified by repetition and practice. We learn how to do things by observing and participating. We learn by asking questions, but mainly, we learn by listening. We digest the information and internalize it; eventually it becomes a natural process for us and we simply "know" something because it's part of our reality and our worldview. No elder has time or interest in sitting down with you and telling you everything they know, like a machine that spews out information on demand. Elders have lives, too, and responsibilities and demands on their time. Unrealistic assumptions that you will quickly learn everything and your godparent will devote himself/ herself to you full time until you understand it all lead to a lot of frustration and disappointment. Learning happens in small bits, over time, from being present, observing, listening, doing. Some godparents are better than others at explaining things, and some are more interested in teaching than others. No one "owes" you anything, other than respect and courtesy and spiritual guidance. Take every opportunity you have to spend time with your godparent and your community and ask questions when people aren't busy or preoccupied with other things. Over time, you'll find that you've learned a lot, even if it's not in a formal, organized way.

It's all about finding the right balance in attitude

Find the right balance in your attitude

​The "rules" we learn about how things are, or how things should be done, are part of this inherited body of wisdom that we call "Ifá." The interpretation of Odu, each with their patakines (stories) and proverbs, gives us knowledge about the religion and the rules. Prohibitions are usually explained through a story of something that happened to one of the Orishas because of disobedience, poor choices, or hard lessons learned. Hierarchies are explained through the relationship of the Orishas to each other and to the creator, Olodumare. Some rules, such as the way we perform ceremonies or who has license to do them, are codified through custom, tradition and practice. If a ceremony has been done a particular way for more than 100 years, and the community accepts that this is the correct way to do the ceremony, it becomes one of the rules of the house or the lineage to do the ceremony that way. Our religion is communal, and individuals need to belong to a community. Individual egos and strong opinions that aren't based on knowledge and tradition will create disruptions, chaos, and bad feelings in the community, especially when coming from a newcomer who challenges others just for the sake of imposing their own opinions on everyone else.

No one should be forced to accept things that they find morally or ethically wrong. If you strongly disagree with some of the fundamental principles of the religion, such as the need for animal sacrifice on some occasions, then the religion simply isn't for you. Find another way to meet your spiritual needs, because you can't start dismantling an entire system of beliefs to fit your individual opinions. If you think initiation isn't necessary in order to assume priestly functions, you aren't going to be welcome or accepted in any legitimate community. You'll be practicing in isolation a religion of your own invention. All people can be Orisha devotees, whether they're part of the religion or not. It's possible to love and honor the Orishas on your own, but if you want to be part of a community of Orisha worshippers and benefit from the knowledge and experience of that community, you have to be willing to respect the fundamental rules that must stay in place to preserve the tradition and integrity of the elders' teachings and of the wisdom that Olodumare passed down to us through the teachings of Ifa.

Over the past few years, it's become more and more common for foreigners to travel to Cuba to make Ocha (be initiated into the religion). The primary reason for most people is that "it's a lot cheaper to make Ocha in Cuba than it is in the USA (or Europe, or Canada, or elsewhere)." People are attracted to Cuba as one of the epicenters of the religion and to the exotic appeal of the tropics. They may also have a godparent or friends who have connections in Cuba, who encourage them to do their ceremonies there. Today, I want to look at some of the pros and cons of making Ocha in Cuba, so anyone who's contemplating this step has an idea of what to expect. My advice to anyone who's thinking of going to Cuba for religious ceremonies is: Know what you're getting into, and make sure it's the best choice for you.​

First, a disclosure...

I'm speaking from the point of view of a person who was initiated in Cuba, and as a person who takes godchildren to Cuba for religious ceremonies. Our community is located in Palmira, Cienfuegos, Cuba, on the southern coast. It's a small town, but one very rich in heritage. Three significant Lucumí religious societies were created there in the 1910s: Sociedad el Cristo, Sociedad San Roque, and Sociedad Santa Bárbara. For more than 100 years, these societies have remained in the hands of the descendants of the founding mothers and fathers (who were born in Africa and brought to Cuba in the 19th century as enslaved people). Knowledge and traditions have been passed down from grandparent to parent to child without interruption, making Palmira not only a town of religious significance in Cuba and the world, but also a place where tradition has been carefully maintained over time, and teaching has been done in the time-honored way, in person, through oral instruction, and through the example set by elders.

The experiences people have in Havana or Matanzas might be very different than my experiences in Palmira. The "countryside" is more traditional, slower to change, and more isolated from outside influences than large cities on the northern coast. Yet, with an increase in tourism, travel, migration, and access to social media and cell phones, Palmira is quickly becoming part of a global network that offers religious services to foreign visitors. Whenever an outsider comes into a poor community, there's the temptation to raise prices to meet consumer demand. The influx of money from outsiders who come seeking religious services is changing (to some extent) the nature of religious interaction between Cubans and foreigners, in small towns as well as larger cities. This imbalance of economic power between Cubans and foreigners creates a minefield of potential problems.

Although my own experiences in Cuba have been completely positive and I'm delighted to take my godchildren there to do ceremonies, I'm also very aware that other people have NOT had good experiences in Cuba. I've seen and heard of numerous cases of people feeling disappointed and confused by their experiences in Cuba and by what happens afterward, upon returning home.

​The key to making it work for you is to weigh the pros and cons and come up with an informed decision.

Start by asking yourself some questions

1. What's your primary reason for wanting to go to Cuba for your ceremony? If the main reason is to save money, think again. Making Ocha is a lifelong commitment, and it's not the time to be bargain shopping. You may save some money doing the ceremony in Cuba, but you may end up spending more in the long run because you'll be expected to travel back on a yearly basis to keep up your religious obligations. Where you make Ocha is your religious HOME, and if your home is very far from where you live, you're potentially creating a hardship for yourself. Think about how well you'll function without a community close at hand. Think about future interaction with your religious family. You're not "done" when you finish the ceremony. Making Ocha is just the beginning of your lifelong experience.

2. Are you fluent in (Cuban) Spanish? Chances are slim that the people working your ceremony are going to be fluent in English, so if your Spanish isn't up to par, you're going to have a hard time understanding what's happening, what's said to you, even simple instructions can become a problem if you don't have good language skills. If you don't know Spanish, do you have a translator who will be with you all the time to translate what's said to you? Is the translator very skilled? Especially when it comes to understanding your itá (advice given during the initiation ceremony), you do NOT want a translator who makes mistakes. The more you understand what's said to you, the more meaningful the experience will be, and the more successful the outcome.

3. Do you have a realistic idea of what living conditions are like in Cuba? Cuba is an underdeveloped country, and many of the people in our religion are poor people. Their homes are clean, but they may cook over a charcoal stove in the back of the house, the toilet may need to be flushed by dumping a bucket of water into it, there probably won't be screens on the windows, so you'll see flies (and mosquitos) inside the house, chickens in the back yard, a pig pen in the neighbor's yard, horse manure in the street, and stagnant water pooled in the gutters. It's hot, and not everyone has air conditioning. There's not a lot of variety in food. Transportation is problematic. If you've never been to Cuba before, and never visited underdeveloped countries, you may not feel comfortable in this environment. Even Cubans who have a higher than normal standard of living are not going to be able to offer you luxury accommodations. Are you prepared to rough it?

4. Who do you know in the religious community in Cuba? And how well do you know them? Be aware that there are good people and bad people in the religion, just as there are in life. If you or your godparent are working with people you don't know well, and you don't have solid references about them, you could end up with frauds who cheat you out of your money. This is a sad reality. There are Cubans who live by fleecing tourists, and if they perceive you don't know what you're doing, you're fair game. At the same time, there are many hard-working, honest, knowledgeable, helpful and sincere people in the religion in Cuba. So, make sure you know who you're working with, and what their backgrounds are. At the very least, you should talk to other members of their religious community to see what kind of reputation they have, ​spend time observing them, see how they treat their other godchildren. Find out about their lineage, and how much experience they have in the religion.

Pros

1. If you connect with a good community in Cuba, know the people well, are fluent in Spanish and comfortable in the culture, you have the potential to create a wonderful, lifelong connection to that community and those people. Cubans are generous, warm, friendly, welcoming. They're serious about the religion and committed to preserving tradition. They have knowledge. You can learn a lot from them, if you have time and ability to visit often and eventually work ceremonies with them.

2. It CAN be cheaper to do ceremonies in Cuba, but be sure you know everything that's included in the cost, and what (if anything) you're expected to bring with you. Calculate the cost of travel into your experience and, if you are expected to pay the travel costs of your godparent, remember to figure that in, as well. Will you need to have a rental car? Pay for pick up and drop off at the airport? Buy food for people? Is the presentation to the drum included? Don't hesitate to ask about what's included in the price.

3. Being part of an old, established lineage in Cuba can be richly rewarding if you're given access to the knowledge and experience of elders from that community. The elders are like walking encyclopedias whose knowledge isn't found in books or online. Spending time with them is an immense privilege.

Cons

1. If you connect with the wrong people, your experience will be bad. They might cheat you out of money, perform fraudulent ceremonies, or abandon you after they finish with you, cutting you off from the possibility of ever having a community in Cuba. If they're only out to make money from the religion, they won't teach you anything, or nourish the relationship with you. You'll be on your own.

2. If your only reason for going to Cuba is to save money, you may find that your bargain ceremony wasn't really what you wanted. If you don't understand what was said to you, if no one explains anything to you, and you left without any feeling of connection to the people who worked your ceremony, then any money you saved must be weighed against what you got in return. If it was just a commercial exchange, you really didn't benefit from it.

3. If your godparent lives in Cuba, you might not have frequent and easy access to them when you need them. Discuss plans for how to stay in touch, and set realistic expectations about what the godparent will teach you, when and how you'll learn, and what kind of expectations they have about you as a godchild. Find out how often you're expected to visit, and if they have internet and cell phone service so they can communicate with you. If you're expected to put minutes on their cell phone in order to stay in touch, make sure you understand that before you leave Cuba. Do you have a language in common so you can talk without a translator? Without clear communication, you're in for disappointment.​

The final decision...

In the end, there are no guarantees of how anything will turn out. But, the likelihood that you'll have a good experience in Cuba is greater if you've given careful thought to the issues I've raised here, and have come up with some concrete reasons why it will benefit you to do your ceremony in Cuba rather than your home town. If you have no community near you, you'll have to travel somewhere in order to find a godparent and get involved with the religion. Give thought to where that place should be. If Cuba seems like a good option, go for it! But, be realistic and know that there are pros and cons to everything, and that you have to go beyond the typical tourist experience in order to become part of a religious community there. Maybe your first few trips to Cuba SHOULD be as a tourist, to observe and learn. If you find a community where you feel at home, you can always go back. There's nothing wrong with tourism, as long as you're respectful and open to learning from people who may be very different from you. As with most things in life, however, it's important to take time to get to know people and see how much in sync you are. Take small steps, and don't commit until you have a good understanding of what the expectations are on both sides. Choose wisely so you don't regret your decision later on.

​One of the biggest challenges for modern-day Orisha worshippers living in the United States or other parts of the developed world is to resist the urge to interpret ancient religions through a contemporary lens. The Lucumi religion, for example, has roots in West Africa that go back thousands of years. It has been filtered through centuries of colonialism in Cuba. It has tinges of paternalism, machismo and homophobia that are politically incorrect today but reflect social conditions and cultural practices from earlier times. In some ways, our religious practices have evolved over time to reflect a changing society, but some ideas are deeply embedded in our belief system and can't be dismantled without seriously challenging the very foundations of our religion. Issues related to gender identity are among the most problematic for this reason.

Archetypes have a symbolic role

Archetypes teach us about human relations

​Ancient people understood the importance of archetypes to represent different facets of the human experience. An archetype is much more than a stereotype. It speaks a kind of universal truth about the human condition. Each archetype can represent a different moment in a human's life, a different set of characteristics or personality traits found among people in a community, symbolic situations that mark moments in human development, and so on. These figures appear in folklore, mythology, and are embedded into different world religions because they reflect ideas that are shared by humans around the world, regardless of cultural specifics. Some examples are the nurturing (earth) mother, the wise old man, the magician, the hero, the seductress, the hermit, the traveler, the joker, the witch, and so on. Usually, these archetypes are presented with gendered identity that reflect either the biological roles of females and males (mother and father, son and daughter, etc.) or cultural ideas about the social roles people play. To some extent, the way the orishas have been personified in our patakis (myths) reflect standard archetypes, such as Elegua the trickster, Obatalá the wise old man, Ochosi the hunter, Ogun the iron worker, Changó the seducer of women, Ochun the seductress, Yemayá the great mother and Oya the fierce independent woman with strong character. This is a very simplistic vision of them, of course, and deeper study reveals that there's much more to them than our first impressions. But that's a topic for another day.

Individual humans experience gender in a different way

Individual identity may not conform to cultural norms

​The gender of a given orisha doesn't necessary match the gender of the human being who is chosen as their son or daughter. Ochún can choose a male or female child, just as Changó and all the others can do. Humans often feel a particular affinity for one orisha in particular and hope that divination will reveal them to be the son or daughter of their personal favorite. But the decision is in the hands of the orishas, not humans. When the ceremony is done to determine who owns the head of a person, the orishas will speak up to claim someone. A man might initially be disappointed to learn that he's the son of Ochún if he secretly hoped he would be chosen by Changó. He mistakenly thinks that Ochún's association with femininity means he's less manly than he imagines himself to be. That's not the case at all. Strong, powerful men can be chosen by Ochún as her sons. She doesn't make them more feminine, but she may grace them with musical or artistic talent, a love of culture and refined things, or the gift of persuasion and seduction. In a similar way, a woman chosen by Changó to be his daughter is not necessarily going to appear masculine. She will, however, have a passionate nature, a strong personality, and a love of rhythm and dance. The cultural associations that we put on different activities, labeling them male or female, are somewhat arbitrary, and the individual can manifest masculine or feminine traits while still being true to the nature of that orisha's energy. Some orishas, like Obatalá, will have masculine and feminine "roads" or "paths," so Obatalá can appear in either form and can be either the father or the mother of a human being. The main idea we need to remember here is that when we speak about the orishas as if they were human, we are merely personifying them, creating images of them in human form based on the stories we know about them. However they are not limited to human form the way we are. They exist in the universe as divine energy, and they transcend gender.

Most people today like to think of themselves as individuals, and they don't want to associate too closely with a particular archetype because, of course, there are always some points where the comparison breaks down and feels incomplete. No one wants to be reduced to one simple role in society, or be defined by one simple trait. At the same time, most people today challenge the idea that they're defined by gender. Gender and sexuality are fluid, and don't always follow socially prescribed roles. Sometimes an individual doesn't identify with his or her biologically defined gender and resists the idea that men must do one thing and women do another in some of our ceremonies. For example, women are supposed to turn their back when someone throws obi to eggun (a divination process done to communicate with the spirits of ancestors). The reasons for this are explained in a pataki, and it's an established tradition in most Lucumi houses. It doesn't mean that women are inferior or lesser than men. It means that that men face one way and women face another way during the ceremony, but neither position is superior to the other; they are merely different, reflecting the fact that men and women are biologically different from one another. Some people resist this kind of binary opposition and feel that they should not be defined on the basis of gender. They want to impose 21st century thinking on an ancient idea because they feel uncomfortable with that way of dealing with gendered identity and feel it limits them in some way. Conversations around these topics can become very heated and lead to major disagreements between those who say tradition must be respected versus those who demand changes be made.

Why not throw out old-fashioned ideas?

Honoring tradition is a way to honor the ancestors

​Another topic that causes bad feelings among some people in the Orisha community is the belief that only men can occupy certain roles or have certain functions in the religion. For example, in the Lucumi tradition, only heterosexual males are allowed to become babalawos. Only men are supposed to play consecrated drums at ceremonies. In most Cuban communities, the obbá (leader of religious ceremonies) is male. Some of these practices and customs are explained through interpretation of odu and patakis, and some are explained in social and historical terms. In a religion where hierarchy matters and the number of years in the priesthood carries significant weight, people who are relatively new to the religion may not be very successful in convincing their elders to change their ways. Over time, if the house is not dysfunctional and good communication exists, some compromises might be worked out between individuals if there is a pressing need for them. Or, the individual might decide to leave the house where he or she was crowned and look for a group that's more sympathetic to new ideas. Sometimes the individual will come to understand that the traditions exist for a reason and they're not necessarily a bad thing. Women and gay men may not be chosen by Orula (to be a babalawo) but they will be chosen by one of the other Orishas with whom they are more in tune, and as a priest or priestess of Yemayá, Obatalá, Eleguá, Oshún, Changó, or any of the others, they can be very powerful and successful religious leaders. How people negotiate these different options will vary a great deal from one person to another.

Those who were raised in the religion and come from Cuban culture usually don't have any problem accepting the religion as it is, and the traditions and customs don't bother then, regardless of their personal opinions about gendered roles. I've never heard anyone in Cuba complain that women are "less" than men in the religion or that women are limited in terms of how much aché (spiritual energy) they have. Some of the most respected and revered elders in my community are women, and their authority isn't challenged by anyone, male or female. They embrace the role that they believe is their destiny (as determined through divination and guidance from the spirit of the ancestors and the orishas themselves). We have proverbs and stories that teach us about the importance of defining ourselves clearly, not being ambiguous about our place in the world or in the community. Sometimes, these break down along archetypical or symbolic roles, or biological identities. Men do one thing, women do another. There will always be individuals who don't fall neatly into a category, or who reject this way of thinking about human beings. Nevertheless, many ancient religions are based on the idea that the world is made up of opposing energy forces, such as hot and cold, life and death, good and evil, blessings and obstacles. The conceptualization of male and female energy in the religion functions in the same way. They are different energies, different forces, and both are necessary (for reproduction and continuation of the human race). Some individuals may decide they don't want children and reproduction isn't an issue for them. They don't want to be defined by their ability to have children. However, this doesn't mean the archetypes of mother/ father or son/daughter cease to have meaning at the societal level. Recognition of gender difference is, if nothing else, recognition of our parents and grandparents and their grandparents, without whom we would not be on earth.

Gendered identity is complex and multi-layered

Susana Cantero around 1910, one of the most powerful santeras in Cuba

​As a religious system, we're capable of change, but it comes slowly and with a great deal of thought. Sometimes, people are anxious to throw out old traditions simply because they don't understand them. No one ever explained why something is the way it is, so it's natural to assume there's no reason. Sometimes there is a reason, but we just don't know it. Sometimes in order to understand the reason, we have to learn to think in different ways. We may have to make cultural adjustments, or acknowledge the experience and wisdom of ancient people who had ideas very different than our own. They aren't automatically wrong just because they're different. What has worked well for hundreds of years shouldn't be casually dismissed, even it goes against the grain of our modern thinking. It's possible to think about gendered identity in the religious context one way, and think about it a totally different way in the context of our private lives as individuals. This isn't hypocrisy, but recognition that the world is more complex than any one system of thought might suggest. In the Ocha room, I wear a skirt because that's what's expected of me; in the street, I wear pants because that's what I choose to do. I accept the imposition of wearing a skirt out of respect for my elders and their traditions. I also understand the metaphysical reasons women are supposed to do this. It doesn't mean I have to wear a skirt everywhere I go, or that my freedom has been taken away from me.

These issues can be a real struggle for some people, and as a community, we need to examine more closely why we do what we do, and why we think as we do. We need to learn to think about things in an historical, cultural and social context, and understand the thinking of our elders from their point of view. Maybe we agree with them, and maybe we don't, but before we dismiss ideas as being old-fashioned and wrong, we need to have a more profound understanding of where those ideas came from. We need to understand that traditions aren't rules that are meant to limit our freedom as individuals, but rather, to bring us together as a community, to build collective spiritual energy. Honoring our traditions and our past is part of what we do. We aren't blind to the need to adapt our customs over time, but those who are too quick to change their customs often end up in a confused state because they lose their connection to the collective whole.

The person who tries to be both the head and the tail will never rest. (El que hace de cabeza de cola nunca descansa).

​One of the proverbs that accompanies Oyekun Nilogbe (the letter of the year 2017 drawn by the babalawos at the Sociedad el Cristo in Palmira, Cuba) says: The person who tries to be both the head and the tail will never rest. (El que hace de cabeza de cola nunca descansa). In order to understand this idea in context, we can refer to another proverb that also comes with Oyekun Nilogbe that tells us: Those who were born to be the head can't remain in the tail (el que nació para cabeza no se queda en la cola). The idea inherent in these two proverbs is that we all have a role and a function that corresponds to our nature as individuals. Those who were born to be the "head" can't remain in the "tail," meaning those who have leadership skills and abilities aren't going to be happy with anything else. They won't be good at anything else. They don't like to follow orders from anyone, and if they find themselves in subservient positions for very long, they rebel, act out, and gain a reputation for being arrogant and pushy. Of course, the ascent to leadership status takes time and hard work, but those who are meant to be the "head" need opportunities to show what they're capable of doing. Leadership isn't automatic, but if people with good leadership skills never have the authority to put ideas into practice, they become frustrated and resentful. If they're assigned to do the work of the "tail" instead of the "head," the whole organism starts to suffer. They aren't effective at the job because it doesn't suit their nature.

In our society today, where competition and individual enterprise are valued so highly, many people like to think that they were born to be "heads" and not "tails." But society can't be made up only of heads. The tail has a function, too. Think about animals with tails. Some animals use the tail to maintain balance. Others use it to brush away flies and other biting insects. Some have prehensile tails that allow them to hang from tree branches or to grasp things. The scorpion uses its tail for self-defense and as a weapon to attack. The peacock's colorful tail gives it a unique identity and is useful for attracting a mate. Fish use their tails to navigate through water. When a fox curls into a ball, its fluffy tail becomes a warm cover for the face. An alligator uses its tail to store fat. And, many animals like dogs and cats, use their tails to communicate emotions. The neurotransmitters that send messages from the brain to the tail and other body parts allow the animal to function optimally so each part of the body works in unison. The head needs the rest of the body, including the tail, to make the animal whole.

The Importance of Understanding Your Role

​This metaphor of head and tail can describe relationships between groups of people, too. We can talk about the head of an organization, or the head of a family. Whenever people are organized in groups, someone emerges as the "head," whether it's through election, appointment, or a natural, organic process. Problems arise when the wrong person accepts the role of head, because if the head isn't working well, the entire group suffers. That's why it's so important for individuals to know themselves, know their abilities and skills, know what motivates and drives them, and understand what leadership really means. Being a good leader isn't so much about telling other people what to do as it is recognizing what others are good at and encouraging them to do that job to the best of their ability. In other words, in order for a group to work well together, the "head" and the "tail" need to value each other's contributions, recognize that they play different roles, but keep open communication so there are no misunderstandings about who needs to do what.

Some heads mistakenly think they have to do everything themselves because no one else can do things as well as they can. They may have the talent, the ambition, the energy and drive to do everything well, but a human being can only do so much without breaking down or wearing out. Overwork and exhaustion can lead to physical problems as well as emotional ones. The proverb reminds us that we can't do everything on our own. Some tasks are too big for one person, but perhaps even more importantly, as human beings, we're social beings and we need to know how to behave in a group. No one lives in total isolation. Sooner or later, in one setting or another, we have to interact with other people, and we need to understand and appreciate the ways we can work together. People who do the work of the head and the work of the tail, and all the work in between, will never rest. In addition, those people will probably be ineffective in some of the jobs they're doing because their attention is scattered, they lack focus, and they're overextended. The lack of balance in these people's lives deprives them of other experiences that could bring satisfaction and pleasure. They're never finished with work, because there's always more work to do.

Prevent or Diminish the Problem Before it Happens

​Oyekun (the first part of this compound Odu) speaks about conflict between brothers. Here, brothers can be extended to mean people we work with, or associate with, as well as family members. Nilogbe (the second part of the Odu) reminds us that others don't appreciate it when we jump in to do their work for them. We might think we're helping, but they see us as arrogant or overly assertive. They see our "help" as implied criticism of their inability to do the job well. For this reason, a person who occupies the position as "head" of a group or organization needs to back off at times and let others do their jobs, even if it's not exactly the way the "head" imagines it should be done. We need to develop patience and let go of some of the control so others can have a chance to contribute something to the group effort.

Because the Letter of the Year comes with osborbo Ofo Lowe Arayé (loss due to conflicts and arguments), we can apply the proverbs in an effort to avoid or diminish the potential problems associated with arayé. Arayé comes from bickering, arguing, petty criticism, talking behind people's backs. It's the daily tension felt in groups that are dysfunctional or where individuals have problems setting clear boundaries for themselves within the group. Whether it's a loss of relationships, a loss of business, a loss of money, or a loss of home, if a loss comes for you in 2017, it will come as a result of conflicts caused by arayé. Nothing is written in stone, so you aren't necessarily going to experience loss if you take steps now to prevent it. Decide whether or not you're really meant to be the head, and if you are, how can you improve your leadership style? If you're meant to be in the tail, take pride in that role and don't feel you're a lesser person because of it. Know where you belong, and find the role that fits your nature, that allows you to be happy and productive without changing your fundamental character. Recognize the need for good communication and mutual respect, and don't try to do everything yourself. Set healthy boundaries, and stick to them.

Which Letter of the Year Should I Follow?

​At the beginning of every new year, Orisha communities anxiously await the announcement of the Letter of the Year," and they spend a good amount of time discussing how it applies to them. But, because there are numerous Letters of the Year coming from different religious houses around the world, some people also spend a lot of time arguing about which letter of the year is the "right" one, or the one that carries the most weight.

Before the internet age, news about the Letter of the Year was spread by word of mouth, and rarely extended beyond the confines of the geographical location where the ceremony was held. For example, at the Sociedad el Cristo in Palmira, Cuba, the Letter of the Year has been taken out consistently, year after year, for almost a century, and it was circulated among members of the Sociedad, along with their friends and neighbors, usually those living in Palmira or neighboring towns and villages. It was understood that the information drawn from the Letter of the Year applied to those who identified with that particular community. People living in other places, especially outside Cuba, were rarely aware that the Letter of the Year from El Cristo existed. Instead, if they were involved in Orisha worship, they turned to their own houses to find the Letter of the Year that applied to them.

Since the 1990s, an increasing number of Letters of the Year have appeared on the internet in Spanish and in English, generating debate about which Letter anyone should follow, and why. Does geographical location determine which Letter applies to you? If you aren't associated with any particular Orisha community, which Letter do you follow? Does history and continuity make one Letter more authentic and accurate than another? And, if there are so many Letters of the Year from different places and they all say different things, how meaningful can any of them really be? Is it possible for one Letter of the Year to apply to all humanity?

Certainly, it takes a knowledgeable and experienced group of Babalawos to take out the Letter of the Year for a community. The ceremony requires the participation of numerous people trained in the interpretation of Odu, and oversight by a group of religious elders to ensure everything is done correctly. Individuals who have religious and community ties to a specific group will naturally be inclined to follow the advice given by members of their own group. Unfortunately, an increasing number of people initiated into the religion today have no such ties, they have no community, and they turn to the internet to "shop around" for a Letter of the Year that makes sense to them.

What Information Can I Find in the Letter of the Year?

​Some of the information, such as the Ruling Odu or Sign, the witnesses, the kind of iré or osorbo predicted, and the suggested offerings and remedies for initiated priests and Babalawos, will only make sense to people who understand the religion's ritual language. For those who aren't initiated and don't understand the language, those parts of the Letter will not have much importance, although if during the year they seek out the advice of a diviner or Orisha priest, the information will be useful in terms of what actions might effectively resolve a problem.

The more important parts of the Letter are the pieces of advice and the proverbs associated with the ruling Odu. These apply to everyone, and can be useful not only in terms of preparing for potential problems but also to avoid hardship and suffering along the way. Much of the advice is based on common sense, but it's particularly relevant to the situations we're going to encounter in the coming year, so it's important to keep it forefront in our minds. The advice always touches on points of health and nutrition, relationships, financial issues, and ethical behavior. We should always pay attention to our health, of course, but in the coming year, we need to be particularly aware of problems related to parts of the body that the Letter of the Year mentions, because those parts are especially vulnerable. The same is true about the rules of ethical behavior. We should always treat others with kindness and courtesy, but some years we need to be more concerned about specific kinds of issues. A warning that says don't offer things you can't fulfill is good general advice for everyone, but when it comes as part of the Letter of the Year, it warns us that not fulfilling promises is a special concern because it has the potential to cause very serious problems at some point during the year.

Other pieces of advice may seem arbitrary and even whimsical, such as "don't whistle" or "don't keep dogs in the house." These are based on patakis, sacred myths, that someone in the religion would probably know and be able to interpret in the proper context, but those outside the religion would dismiss as unimportant. This is where godparents and religious elders can be so important, because they can explain points made in the Letter of the Year that aren't apparent at first glance. For example, the warning about dogs is related to a story about Ogun, where a dog betrayed his presence to an enemy. Dogs are generally loyal and faithful to their masters but they also operate on instinct. Ogun's dog barked and revealed where Ogun was hidden, causing Ogun to suffer at his enemy's hands. Even though it was unintentional, the dog's behavior led to Ogun's downfall. If we have a pet dog who lives in the house with us, we aren't necessarily going to exile the dog to an outdoor kennel for the rest of its life or get rid of the dog. We should, however, be aware that a dog in the house can lead to problems, so we should be vigilant, and we shouldn't expect the dog to behave in ways that are contrary to its instincts and nature. In a more general sense, we have to be concerned about possible unintentional betrayal from someone we trust. The caution against whistling is a reference to Elegua, who whistles to warn us of danger. It's like the story of the little boy who cried wolf; he cried wolf so many times that when a wolf really came along, no one believed him. Elegua is the only one who has the right to whistle, and out of respect for him, we shouldn't whistle in the house. In broader terms, this warning could be taken to mean don't call for help when you don't need it, don't abuse the willingness of others to help you when you're perfectly capable of resolving your own problems. Or, don't encroach on someone else's authority; respect what rightly belongs to someone else.

The proverbs that are associated with the ruling Odu also offer good advice, and call attention to issues that are going to predominate in the coming year. For example, warnings about using time effectively, pacing yourself, knowing when to take charge of a situation or when to delegate to others, and what to expect in your interactions with others helps you navigate the coming year more successfully. The proverbs also offer advice about behavior modification that will make your life go more smoothly. They call attention to specific issues you need to work on, and issues that you're going to face. Being forewarned is being prepared, because it makes you aware of areas where you're most vulnerable.

How Can I Use the Information?

​Many people also get an individual reading for the year via a reading or consulta with a godparent. This is always a good idea, because it complements the general Letter of the Year for the community. The key to using both effectively is to look for areas where there are similarities, parallel pieces of advice, and emphasis on specific issues in both readings. If there are apparent contradictions, talk to the diviner or godparent about how to interpret these, and how to reconcile the information. The Letter of the Year, along with a personal reading for the year, are often good points of departure for conversations with your godparent or religious elder, and an opportunity for you to learn more about the religion.

Is the future written in stone? Absolutely not. We come to earth with a destiny, and the challenge is to live out our destiny in the best possible way. The Letter of the Year isn't "fortune telling" but rather an analysis of the energy that surrounds us at a given moment in time. Whether as part of a group or as an individual, we're likely to confront obstacles that are caused by these energies, and we need to be prepared to deal with them. How they impact us depends to a large extent on how we confront them and how we deal with them.

In the coming weeks, we'll look more at the advice and proverbs for 2017, and talk about how the advice pertains to you.

SOCIEDAD EL CRISTOLETTER OF THE YEAR 2017. PALMIRA .CIENFUEGOS. CUBALeaving behind 2016, a year full of repeated political conflicts, struggles for economic power, and the need to protect natural resources, all unresolved issues as of now, and in the midst of a worldwide economic crisis that seems like it will never end, the Sociedad El Cristo with the participation of it's associates, family members, and the spirits of deceased Awos, with the help of God and Ifa, our orishas and the Oluos in attendance, received the prophesy (letter of the year) for 2017.

Advice:1-Never mistreat or hit children, especially in the head, because if you do it will bring about your downfall2-Pray to and take care of the Ibeyis with fresh fruit; give them a piñata for the children, feed the owner of your head3-Don't underestimate or disrespect any orisha4-Avoid family arguments, especially between brothers, where the older one should be the one to give in, reach a compromise, or convince others for the prosperity and happiness of the family5-Take good care of your teeth and oral health6-Don't challenge anyone because you'll lose7-Don't drink alcoholic beverages8-Pay special attention and pay homage to Osain to avoid poverty9-Don't step over holes in the earth or think about suicide10-Make ebbo; always fulfill promises you make to CHANGO so you don't have setbacks.11-Take care of your health and internal organs, especially the liver in both men and women12-Don't whistle. Don't use weapons.13-Don't spend money unnecessarily because you might need it to resolve some health problems.14-Watch out for problems with the law because they might arrest you for robbery, it could be a mistaken identity15-Don't deceive anyone or bear false witness. Be careful about lies.16-Maferefun Orula,Chango and the Ibeyis.17-Help anyone who is asking for charity18-Drums can't be played for free.19-Don't link your luck or misfortunes to anyone else. Don't underestimate or disrespect anyone. It could cost you very dearly.20-Limit your consumption of fat; take care of your health.21-Don't keep dogs inside the house.22-Don't do harm to anyone or Elegua will take away your good luck.23-Don't offer what you can't fulfill.24-What is written cannot be erased; your own tongue can be your worst enemy.25-He who doesn't know is like he who doesn't see. Don't tell anyone your secrets.26-Don't deny food to any Babalawo or Satero who comes to your house

PROVERBS 1-In the eyes of the young person burns a flame and in the eyes of an old person shines light (wisdom).2-The person who tries to be both the head and the tail (do everything) will never rest.3-Something analyzed in a meeting will be resolved.4-The people in this world (living) don't associate with those from the other world. (dead)5-No matter how early you get up night falls with work undone.6-Don't be in such a hurry so that you will get where you're going7-Sacrifice will be rewarded8-He who was born to be the head can't remain in the tail.9-Arrows can't kill thoughts.10-Give first and then receive.

The Sociedad Del Cristo wishes you happiness and well being in 2017. May prosperity, comprehension, happiness and love reign in our homes. The advice we give is a result of our intention and desire to help you, not given because of pride or vanity. Sociedad El Cristo 1 January 2017.eddy.capote@nauta.com.cu 52371487.43546748.Thank you and happy new year.

​When a newspaper or television channel reports on an activity linked to Santería, it very often focuses on animal sacrifice, either as a denunciation of our "cruelty to animals" or to present us as a menace to the public because we leave decomposing animal carcasses in public places. This puts the idea of animal sacrifice in the forefront of everyone's mind when they think about our religion, usually in the most negative way possible. We need to launch an educational campaign to clarify what our practices really are, and to put the idea of sacrifice in the proper context.

In the Lucumí religion, animal sacrifice does exist as a practice. And, we can't deny that it's an aspect of the religion that causes contention because it's so open to misunderstanding. A growing number of practitioners of the religion disregard protocol or lack proper training in this matter. And, there are other people who, for one reason or another, appropriate our belief system for their own ends and kill animals in ceremonies that have nothing to do with our religion. An untrained or self-proclaimed "santero" may throw a plastic bag full of decapitated chickens into the river, where other people, out on a walk, find it washed ashore. Or, he may mistreat or mishandle the animals to be sacrificed, drawing the attention of concerned neighbors. This kind of behavior naturally creates a public spectacle, and it results in bad press for us all. Thankfully, it's not the norm. Animal sacrifice is not done in the way that the media usually shows it, and it's not done as frequently as most people think.

​A priest who has been properly trained in Lucumi practices knows that sacrifices must be done in a particular way and the ebo (offering) dealt with appropriately. We respect the environment and don't pollute or contaminate the natural world. We don't leave animal carcasses in places where they will shock and upset people, or cause health problems for the community. When stories appear in the papers about "santería remains" that have been discarded in an improper way, or animals that have been tortured by so-called santeros, those of us who practice the religion in a responsible way are the first to feel outrage. Such incidents disguise and distort who we are and what we believe.

Sacrifice takes many forms

​There are many, many forms of making a sacrifice, and giving the life of an animal is only one of them, usually reserved for very important and serious occasions, or as the last alternative when all other avenues of resolving a problem have been tried. One of the simplest, most effective and most common "ebos" or offerings is cool water (omi tutu) and a coconut (obi) placed on the altar before our orishas. These small gifts show gratitude and love, and sometimes are all that's needed. Prayers, songs, and spending quiet time in reflection with the orishas are also effective ebos. So is behavior modification. Many times, the problems we have in life are caused by our own hot heads or rash actions. We can learn to bite our tongue, control our tempers, think before we speak or act. This is another form of sacrifice, because it takes work on our part to improve our relationship to the world around us.

Fresh fruit is another common offering to the orishas, along with root vegetables like squash ad sweet potatoes. We can cook food for the orishas (adimus) and share our meals with them. Each orisha has his or her favorite dishes, and the time and love we put into preparing them shows a form of devotion. When we offer them food, it represents a sacrifice of time, energy and expense, and creates a bond between us and the Divine. We can put flowers on the altar or light candles. We can decorate their soperas (receptacles where the orishas live) with beautiful embroidered clothes. We can give the orishas small presents that they like, such as a fan for Oshun, or a small toy for Elegua. Our life as religious people consists in large part of making ebo, but most of the time, it doesn't involve animal sacrifice.

When an orisha worshipper goes for a consulta (divination, or reading with shells), if the reading comes in osorbo (with obstacles or problems), an ebo needs to be identified that will help solve the problem. A responsible diviner begins with the simple and easy solutions, and only mentions the possible sacrifice of an animal if every other option is rejected first. If an animal is called for to save someone's life or resolve some other serious problem, it should be done by a fully initiated priest or priestess who knows how to kill the animal swiftly and with the minimum of suffering. There is a strict protocol to follow. The kind of animal is determined according to the orisha receiving the offering - we give a "feathered animal" (hens, roosters, guinea hens, doves) or on more rare occasions a four-legged animal, usually a goat. We don't sacrifice domestic pets like cats and dogs or other animals like horses. And, we certainly don't do human sacrifice. It seems ludicrous in this day and age that the media would make these accusations against us, yet sometimes they do.

When an animal is offered, it's blessed by those present at the ceremony. We sing and thank the animal for giving its life. The person who offers the animal is very conscious of the fact that the animal is dying on his behalf, and should express the proper humility and gratitude. The ceremony is carried out in a private space, with great seriousness. Afterward, unless the animal has been used to clean the person of some terrible illness or serious witchcraft, the people who participated in the ceremony prepare and eat it in a communal meal. In the event the animal cannot be eaten, the diviner determines how to dispose of it properly. Wherever it goes, it must not contaminate the earth or the waters, and it should not cause other people fear or expose them to potential health problems. In the countryside in Cuba, the animal carcass can be thrown on the roof of the house, where vultures will devour it within the hour. In urban areas in the developed world, the carcass usually ends up in the garbage can. If divination requires that it be left in some other place, like on the railroad tracks or at a crossroad, the diviner must think carefully about how to do that in the least intrusive and offensive way possible. If an isolated area can be found, fine. Otherwise, the ebo might be placed there only for a few moments while prayers are said, and then removed and placed in the garbage once the symbolic act has been performed. Our religion adapts itself to modern life, and we need to make modifications in the way we dispose of ebos to do the minimum amount of harm to the world we live in.

Traditions must be respected

​The Lucumi religion teaches us that nothing in life is free. We must give up something in order to get something. We propitiate and appease the Divine by making sacrifices in different forms. Obviously, most people find the offering of fruit and flowers to be more pleasant than the shedding of an animal's blood. But blood is a powerful life force. Blood contains divine energy. The animal gives its life so we can live. One day we, too, will die and our bodies will feed the earth. Until then, we give offerings in many different forms so that we can have health, prosperity, spiritual evolution, and peace. Everything in the universe involves the exchange of energy. We can shift the energy from bad to good by making ebo. Our oral histories tell many stories about people who made ebo and saved themselves, their families, their towns. Making ebo shows devotion and trust in the power of the Divine. Blood is not the only way to make ebo, but it is sometimes necessary. We can't overlook it as an option, but we shouldn't turn to it as the first choice. We give animal sacrifice all the respect it deserves, and we don't undertake it lightly.

Today, many people are opposed to the killing of any kind of animal, and yet, not all of these people are vegans or vegetarians. They've created a massive disconnect in their minds between the living animal and the package of chicken breasts they buy at the store. They eat meat at home and in restaurants, without thinking about the animals that died to provide them with that food. Our religion teaches us to honor our ancestors and respect traditions. Our ancestors were, by and large, poor people who didn't have meat in their diet every day. But, when it was necessary to sacrifice a hen or a goat to make ebo, they did it. They offered the animal first to the orishas, and then nourished their bodies with food they had made sacred by praying over it. Today, when we sacrifice an animal, it's with the same desire to connect our bodies, minds and spirits to our actions, to take ownership and responsibility for what we do, to do it with respect and gratitude, to control excesses and not go to extremes, not create public spectacles or hazards, and to above all, follow religious protocol in these matters, so our actions are not taken out of context and judged in a bad light.

We have protection under the constitution of the United States to practice our religion in peace, and this includes the right to do animal sacrifice in a religious ceremony when necessary. But, although it is our legal right, we're often challenged by people who think the constitution doesn't stretch to include us. We've experienced discrimination, prejudice and hate crimes for our beliefs. When the media misrepresents us and portrays us all in a negative light, it fuels the fear and suspicion some people have of those who are different from them. Our religion comes from Africa via Latin America. Although today it's practiced by people of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds, it still has an aura of the foreign about it. It's easy for other people to point fingers at us and find fault with what we do, and yet, when we start to deny people their constitutional rights on the basis of religious discrimination, we're opening the doors to other problems. If you deny us our constitutional rights today, who will protect your rights tomorrow when someone wants to take them away?

​I often get messages from people who are new to the religion or just finding their way inside, and they write to say how frustrated they are by the process. In many places, there's no visible Ocha community, and no easy way to find someone honest and knowledgeable who can work with them. People sometimes go to a botánica and hope the people working there are involved in the religion. That's not always the case. A botánica is just a store that sells religious supplies, and anyone can own one. You can buy beaded necklaces there in the colors of the Orichas, but until they're consecrated properly through a ceremony, they're nothing but beaded necklaces. Some botánica owners are Lucumi practitioners and others are not. Some are honest and helpful, some are not. It's not a foolproof method. We don't have churches per se, and we don't have regular services held on a certain day of the week in a particular place. We don't have pastors or ministers who keep regular hours in a church office, who list their names in the phone book. How do you find an olorisha or babalawo when you need one? Very often, it's a hit and miss process. Through friends, online communities, through university classes dealing with Afro-Caribbean cultures, through community centers where African style drumming or dancing takes place, sometimes you can meet someone who will invite you to an Ocha event of some kind. But, in many cases, it's a matter of luck. If you're meant to be in the religion, and if you're patient and persistent, sooner or later you'll find your way inside.

Why isn't it easier? ​

There are socio-cultural and historical reasons why the Lucumi religion isn't more visible in the modern sense of the word. Most of us live in a world where we expect to be able to find information within minutes. We look on the internet to find an address with a map. We search directories for names and phone numbers. When we have questions, we expect to find an answer. The Lucumi religion doesn't fit into that paradigm very well. Ours is a community-based religion, formed around lineages and ancestors. In Cuba, even today, the majority of Olorishas and Babalawos grew up in families where the religion was practiced by other family members or neighbors. Almost everyone knew where to go to get a consulta (reading), where there were drumming events, where Olorishas and Babalawos lived. People who needed something could drop in to a neighbor's house, or go on the referral of a friend or family members, and deal with someone who was well known in the community. There was no need to advertise services. At various times in Cuba's past, people who practiced the religion were persecuted, or at least discouraged from practicing openly. This created a certain amount of secrecy, which helped the religion survive in times of oppression. But, in many cases, it was an open secret, meaning that people in a community knew who practiced the religion, even though they didn't talk about it to strangers.

Also contributing to the insider vs. outsider mentality is the fact that the Lucumi religion is one that functions in large part via initiations. Aleyos, or "outsiders," don't have access to the "secrets" of the religion, because there's no reason for them to know. What would they do with the information if they had it? Without the aché that comes from initiation, the information is useless. To know just for the sake of curiosity is pointless. Olorishas are careful to not give too much information to strangers, because the folk wisdom of our proverbs continually warn us not to give away too freely what we know. We can never be sure how other people will use the knowledge they get from us and, if they have bad intentions, we can do harm by sharing what we know with them. There's a sense that the religion is meant to be shared by those who have "made Ocha," or who have been crowned in the religion. Aleyos can participate in certain kinds of activities, and can also establish a relationship with a godparent, going for consultas or looking for remedies to specific problems. But to participate in a kariocha ceremony (full initiation), only those who have been through the ceremony themselves can take part. If you haven't experienced it, you aren't allowed to know what happens or how the ceremony is done. These customs create another layer of secrecy around around the religion for those who want to know more, but can't find any doors open to them.

​As the religion moved out of local communities and spread throughout the diaspora, it became harder to identify people who practiced the religion. In areas with a large Cuban-American population like New York and Miami, it's slightly easier to find someone who knows someone in the religion, simply because there are more Olorishas in those places. But for people who live in other areas of the country, Olorishas may work in isolation from each other and not even know that other Olorishas live in their town. Now that travel is easier and we have more technology at our fingertips, some Lucumi practitioners stay in touch with their religious "home" (ilé) and godparents via internet and phone, and make yearly visits to see them. People belonging to a particular Lucumi community may not always live in the same place.

Adding to the confusion, there are various ways of worshipping the Orichas, and practitioners from different traditions don't always agree on how things are done. Whether the person made Ocha in Cuba or Ifa in Africa, whether they identify as traditional African or as a New World variation, there will be differences in their ways of thinking. Brazil, Haiti, Jamaica and other Caribbean-basin countries also have their practices, which sometimes resemble and sometimes differ radically from the way Lucumi practitioners do things. Some people incorporate Spiritism into their practices, others don't. Even among those who identify as Lucumí, there will be disagreements and differences about how things are done in one rama (lineage) versus another. There's common ground, but also a lot of gray areas that confuse people who want to understand what the religion is all about. Most people will ultimately fall back on the line, "This is what I learned from my godparent, so this is how I do things." And, when you ask a question, many will tell you: "Ask your godparent." If you don't have a godparent, you don't know where to begin.

​This is the reality of the situation today, and there's not much we can do to change it. Any attempt to create a directory or catalogue of services is full of problems. Who can check to be sure that the Olorisha or Babalawo is really who he says he is? How do we know he was really initiated? How do we know he's honest? If we don't know the person, how can we vouch for him? Some Olorishas refuse to make recommendations to people they don't know, worried that if things go wrong, they'll be blamed. The element of trust is lacking, and we know that there are charlatans out there. We don't want to hand people over to someone who'll abuse them. At the same time, if we don't know the person who is asking for help, we have no way of knowing if the person is sincere or not. The person may be mentally ill or dangerous, and if we send him to see someone we know, we might cause problems for our religious brethren.

The best advice for newcomers is to be patient. Keep your eyes and ears open. Send your intentions out into the universe. Talk to people you meet about your interest in the religion. When you least expect it, you might find someone who can help you. Use care if you're going online to search for a spiritual guide. You might meet helpful and kind people on line, or you might meet a hustler. If you live in a place with a lot of cultural events, attend those that have to do with African and Afro-Caribbean music and art. If you can take a class on African or Afro-Caribbean culture, again, you might meet someone. The point is you never know where you'll find the person who can help you. It might take years, and you have to be patient. If you're able to go to Cuba, you can speed up the process because it's easy to find people there in the religion. However, unless you know the culture well, speak Spanish, and have connections to people you trust, you can also open yourself up to fraud. There's no easy path if you don't know where the first step is, but you need to keep looking without letting yourself become frustrated in the process.

Take Your Time

Finally, don't be in a hurry to find a godparent, or to have your head marked to know who is the owner of your head. If you're new to the religion, you don't need to be in a hurry. If you meet people in the religion, get to know them as people. See how they interact with others. See if you "click" with them. Most people don't need to know who owns their head until they're ready to make Ocha. Until then, you should develop a spiritual relationship with all the Orichas and with your egun (spirits of your ancestors). You can pray to them, using your own words, and ask them for guidance. You can read general information about the religion and educate yourself a bit about the Lucumi worldview. Don't expect someone to take you by the hand and teach you. Be aware that if you live in a place where there's not a large Lucumi community, you may end up on your own. This isn't ideal for many reasons, primarily because ours is a religion where you learn by doing, by experiencing, by taking part in ceremonies, and if you aren't engaged in those kinds of activities, your knowledge of the religion will remain limited. You can only learn so much from books. If you go away to make Ocha, to Cuba or to some other part of the United States, how often will you be able to go back to interact with the people there? How will you stay in touch with your godparent? Will you be unhappy without a community nearby? These are things to think about. No one can thrive in total isolation, but some people need more contact with others. Know yourself, and what you need, and then set realistic expectations about how you can have that.Once you receive your elekes (beaded necklaces), warriors, or an adimú oricha, you have a godparent. The person who gave you those things has some responsibility to guide you and help you, at least as far as that particular ceremony is concerned. The godparent needs to tell you how to take care of your elekes or warriors, how to attend to them, and explain what your responsibilities are. If you have a problem and need a consulta, the godparent should be willing to do one for you or recommend someone to you. If you need to do ebo to solve your problem, your godparent should help you with that. However, you can't realistically expect the godparent to be available to you around the clock for as many hours as you want to take up with your problems. If you constantly call or drop by with questions and problems, the godparent might get annoyed. Most godparents work full time jobs, have families to take care of, and they have other obligations to other godchildren. And, sometimes they just need to disconnect and have time to themselves. Anyone who does consultas and helps people solve problems needs time to recover from the emotional, mental and physical exhaustion that work causes. Very often, godchildren become impatient because the godparent isn't available or willing to talk about the religion all the time. Or, the godparent puts off answering their questions, or says "that's something you don't need to know now." Godparents don't always give the answer the godchild wants or expects. It's important to give the relationship time to develop and mellow, so that learning takes place gradually and slowly, over a period of time. As trust develops, so will communication. Before you make Ocha, if that turns out to be your path, make sure you know the person you've chosen as godparent very well. Once you've been crowned, the relationship between godparent and godchild is for life. There's nothing sadder than a new initiate who discovers, too late, that they don't get along well with the godparent. Some people do argue and separate, but that usually causes terrible difficulties for the godchild. You can avoid trauma by taking time to get to know the godparent well, and your patience will pay off.Have realistic expectations, learn to deal with frustration and setbacks, be persistent and have faith. Although you can't always see what's around the next curve in the road, you can ask the Orishas to guide you in the direction you need to go. If you are meant to make Ocha, you will. And if Ocha is not for you, you'll know to take another path before you commit your time, money and energy to a religion that doesn't fit your needs.

​I'm prompted to write about this topic because of news stories that crop up from time to time, exposing "santeria priests" who sexually abuse women coming to them for help. Sadly, this kind of thing happens in every religion, but because ours in not well known or well understood in mainstream culture, there's a lot of room for misunderstanding and abuse to take place.

First, let's be clear: Anyone who has been initiated in this religion has a moral imperative not to engage in sexual relations with someone who comes looking for spiritual guidance or help. Those who offer readings, spiritual cleansings, or religious ceremonies to people can't look at those people as potential sex partners. Whether you dress it up in romance and say it's "love," or call it a sexual urge that's too strong to ignore, it's wrong. The babalawo or olorisha (santero) addressing the person's problem needs to behave in a professional way, which means you do something to keep an objective distance, you focus on the person's problems, and you don't do anything that will make them feel vulnerable and exposed. People who are in despair and desperate for solutions will often act against their better judgment. If they feel trapped in a situation that's unbearable, they'll accept any solution to get out of it. The priest who claims that performing sexual acts will rid the woman of her problems is not only lying, he's abusing his power over the woman in that situation to put her under duress. She may feel she can't say "no" because he's made her believe that her future good luck and well being depend on doing what he says. Religious leaders in any religion can be unscrupulous and manipulative people, but Santería is enveloped in mystery in the popular imagination, giving Santeros and Babalawos even more power over people by confusing what they do with the supernatural. Will he do witchcraft against you if you don't obey? Will he put a spell on you? Spiritual advisors can make people feel fearful of the unknown and, thus, manipulate them into giving them money or doing sexual favors. This is just plain wrong in any religion, including ours.

Objectivity is Needed

Some priests take a more subtle approach and cultivate godchildren with the intent of having a sexual relationship with them. Initially, the relationship may seem to be legitimate, based on spirituality and a true interest in the religion. But, over time, the flirting turns into seduction, and the seduction leads to sex. Often, the woman who falls in love with her godfather will say that it was meant to be, it's love, they couldn't resist the temptation. However, too often, it's just part of a pattern that's repeated again and again. The godfather goes from woman to woman, using each one and discarding her later, as a way to show sexual prowess or, in many cases, make money from the women, who agree to undergo different religious ceremonies that are expensive and perhaps not even necessary.

It's forbidden in our religion for godparents and godchildren to have sexual relations. Period. Does it happen anyway? Absolutely. But, that doesn't make it right. There are several very good reasons for this taboo to be in place. First, there's a power imbalance between godparent and godchild. The godparent is the one who has authority, knowledge, aché, the ability to make things happen for the godchild. He should be completely focused on the godchild's well being and spiritual evolution. Sex complicates that process because the dynamic between people changes when they are lovers. Through consultas, the godparent gains tremendous insight into the person's character and situation. He becomes aware of weaknesses and vulnerabilities that he could use, if he so chooses, to manipulate the person into making decisions that could be counter-productive for the godchild's progress. Or, these insights can create problems in the personal relationship that, in turn, create conflict in the religious relationship. There are odu that speak about lying and cheating, for example. What if this information comes out in an odu during a reading taking place beween a godparent and godchild who also happen to be lovers? Common sense dictates that someone who is romantically and sexually involved with a person not do readings for that person. Objectivity is missing, and the insights that come from the reading can be used to manipulate the relationship in unhealthy ways.

Think Before You Act

When someone makes Ocha (is fully initiated in the religion), they're literally reborn in the process and the godparent "gives birth" to them as future olorishas. The godparent becomes the ocha family of that person, and his ancestors become part of your religious family. You have ocha brothers and sisters, those who have the same godparent as you. As in most religions, there's a taboo against incest. Having sex with someone who is your "parent" is wrong. The Lucumi religion operates much as a clan society does. We form lineages. We have close ties to those who belong to the same lineage. We work together as a group, as a family. This is a relationship for life. We can't have people hooking up in sexual relationships and then breaking up, and then hooking up with someone else in the same group. That leads to disharmony and conflict. Many ocha houses have been ripped apart by romantic and sexual relationships that didn't work out. People leave the godparent's house and end up with no one to guide them spiritually. They become orphans. Many problems can be avoided if people use a little common sense and avoid complications that will bring trouble into the house. Keep the relationship one of family, parents and children, brothers and sisters. Look for sexual partners elsewhere.

What happens if there is sexual tension between people? We're human, and it will happen from time to time. Ethically, when a diviner feels a strong sexual attraction to the person he's divining for, he should excuse himself, withdraw, and find another diviner to help that person. If he removes himself from the equation early on, and no spiritual connection exists between him and the one seeking the consulta, he's free to act on his feelings as an ordinary person would. Flirt, make a date, go out, but do it as an ordinary man, not as a priest. Don't use your religious connection to impress or control the one you're dating. As soon as the diviner becomes aware of sexual tension, decide how to handle it. If you want to pursue it, withdraw as the person's spiritual advisor. If you want to continue as their spiritual advisor, get a handle on the situation and put a definite end to any flirtations, make it abundantly clear that nothing will happen, even if the one seeking advice makes sexual overtures toward you. Keep it professional.

That's one reason why I usually advise people to take time to get to know someone well before entering into the godparent relationship. If there's going to be a romance, it should happen before the godparent-godchild relationship develops, when there's still time to find a different godparent. If you're going to fall in love with your spiritual advisor, he can't be your spiritual advisor anymore. You need someone who can be more objective with you. Once you have entered into the godparent-godchild relationship, it's the moral imperative of both parties to keep the relationship free of sex. Look for sex outside that relationship, and do all you can to control urges to act on sexual feelings toward each other. People who see psychotherapists often develop powerful "crushes" on the one who is helping them, and the same thing is true in religion. For the same reason you shouldn't have sex with your therapist, you shouldn't have sex with your spiritual advisor or godparent.

The Lucumi religion has nothing against sex in general, and doesn't consider it a sin to have sex. People are free to express their sexuality in any way they like, just not with their ocha family members and especially not with the godparent. A healthy sex life is part of a person's general well-being. But, because sexual and romantic relationships are complex and fraught with potential conflict, they don't belong inside the ocha family.

If you go to someone for a consulta and he asks you to have sex as part of a religious ceremony, know that this is absolutely not ok. It's not a legitimate practice. Walk away. Report him to the authorities as a sexual predator. If you are shopping around for a godparent, steer away from anyone who's flirting with you, trying to seduce you, or who has a reputation for having sex with godchildren. It's not in your best interest to be around that person. If you have a godfather who is pressuring you in any way to have sex with him, speak to some of the elders in your community and ask for their advice. Don't give in to demands because you feel afraid or intimidated. Look for someone to support you, and confront the godparent to discuss the problem.